The present invention relates to a reinforced golf bag of novel construction. Reinforced golf bags, unlike small ultralight carrying bags, typically employ a plurality of vertically disposed stays which extend along the interior of the fabric body of the bag between the upper and lower end supports thereof to provide structural support for the fabric and retain the fabric body in a taut, generally cylindrical configuration. These support stays are typically formed of cylindrical steel rods which are of a relatively small diameter to avoid adding undue weight to the bag. To secure the stays to the upper and lower end supports of the bag, small loops are formed at the extended ends of the stays through which the stays are riveted to the upper and lower end supports. Because these stays are relatively thin and extend virtually the entire length of the golf bag, they are very flexible and highly susceptible to being permanently bent. If one or more of the reinforcing stays becomes bent, the bag body will be somewhat distorted, distracting from its appearance. If the stay is bent inwardly, it will interfere with the golf clubs carried therein. Rigid fiberglass stays have also been used to reinforce the sides of the fabric body of the bag which, while being noticeably heavier than the metal stays, are not susceptible to being permanently bent. Fiberglass stays are typically held in sockets in the upper and lower ends of the bag and extend therebetween adjacent the fabric body.
While the above-described reinforcing stay configurations have been employed for years in the manufacture of golf bags, they have inherent shortcomings. Not only are metal stays very susceptible to being permanently bent, they also present manufacturing difficulties. To secure conventional metal stays to the upper and lower end supports of the bag, it is not only necessary to properly position the stays relative to the end supports and individually rivet each stay in place, but after the stays have been riveted in place to the lower end support, the fabric bag body must be pulled tight and maintained in a taut disposition between the end supports during the riveting of the stays to the upper end support to provide the golf bag with its desired appearance. Because of the limited support provided by thin metal stays, five such stays are typically employed to provide the desired reinforcement for the bag. Securement of the stays is thus a time consuming and relatively costly process. A similar problem exists when using the rigid fiberglass stays if the fabric body is to be held in the desired taut disposition. After the fabric body is secured to the lower end support of the bag and pulled upwardly about the fiberglass stays, the fabric must be held taut between the upper and lower end supports while it is sewn or riveted to the upper end support of the bag. If the need to individually rivet each stay in place could be obviated and/or if the fabric body could be secured in place to the bag frame in a taut disposition without concurrently having to hold it taut to obtain the desired bag appearance, the construction of such golf bags could be significantly simplified and the cost thereof reduced. The golf bag construction of the present invention achieves these results.
The present invention also provides a superior product. While the rigid fiberglass support stays used in reinforced golf bags may enhance the structural integrity of the golf bag and are not suspectable to bending, they increase the weight of the bag. Weight is always a very important consideration for any golfer who carries his own bag. Because of their rigidity, these fiberglass stays are quite uncomfortable when pressing against the side of a person carrying the bag filled with a set of golf clubs. In addition, the fabric of which the body of the bag is formed will stretch over time. Because these support stays are of a fixed length, the stretched material will no longer be held taut between the end supports of the bag and will wrinkle, detracting from the appearance of the golf bag. The problem of fabric stretching also exists when using metal stays as they also are of a fixed length. As the metal stays are very flexible, the stays themselves do not cause discomfort when pressed against the side of a person carrying the bag. However, it has been found that metal stays are typically so flexible that they will so readily flex when pressed against one's side that the shafts of the golf clubs within the bag will bear against the side of the carrier. As golf club shafts are relatively stiff, a similar discomfort results.
Because metal support stays are typically secured to the upper and lower end supports of the bag by rivets extending through the loops formed in the ends of the stays, the stays can collectively pivot slightly about their rivet attachments. This can occur as a result of continually leaning the golf bag against a wall or when one pulls laterally on one end of the bag relative to the other end as, for example, when forcibly withdrawing a club from the bag. The collective pivoting of the stays will distort and unbalance the bag. This problem can be exacerbated by the use of fabric dividers. Reinforced golf bags frequently employ fabric dividers which extend downwardly from rigid partitions carried by the upper end support of the golf bag to define separate areas within the bag for groups of clubs. These fabric dividers are typically secured periodically along their lateral edges to the support stays by straps or rivets to hold the dividers in place. The fabric dividers are secured periodically to the metal support stays as the stays are typically disposed in fabric sheaths which extend along the interior of the fabric body of the bag. This encasement of the stays helps prevent thin metal stays from taking a permanent bend. As a result, however, it is not uncommon for the grip end of a golf club to be inserted into the bag such that it become wedged between the stay and the fabric divider. When forcibly pulled from the bag, the wedged club will pull on the divider and stay and tend to pivot the stays and distort the bag and in some cases, bend the stay or tear the divider. The golf bag construction of the present invention not only simplifies the manufacture of reinforced golf bags having taut fabric bodies, but also enhances and better maintains the appearance and structural integrity of the bag while rendering the bag lighter and more comfortable to carry.